The present invention relates to a manipulating device that is connected to an entertainment system, such as a video game machine, television set, video tape recorder, and music player, and manipulated by an operator, and to an entertainment system having the same manipulating device.
Generally, in an entertainment system, such as a video game machine, a manipulating device or controller that is independent of the main unit allows the human operator to enter his commands to the main unit. For the gaming machine, because there are a wide variety of commands related to its game, its manipulating device has a plurality of operation buttons. The operator controls the behavior of a game character or characters on screen or the progress of the game play by manipulating those operation buttons.
The manipulating device of this type is such that it can be manipulated while it is gripped by the hands and fingers of the operator, and a portion of the cross-shaped operating portion is exposed from its housing. The operator manipulates this operating portion to enter specific commands to the gaming machine and cause a game character(s) or the like on screen to act or move in a specific manner.
A prior art manipulating device has a cross-sectional structure as shown in FIG. 4, for example. A manipulating device 200 shown has a protruding or dome portion 210 on the bottom of an operating portion 201, so that the operating portion 201 pivotally displaces at a contact with a housing 220. For the structure of such a manipulating device 200, reference may be made, for example, to Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 3-13951 (13951/1991).
When the operator depresses one end of the operating portion 201, an elastic member 230 having an electrically conductive portion 231 on which the operating portion rests is pushed down, which causes an electrode portion 232 thereunder to be shorted by the electrically conductive portion 231, and thus become electrically conductive.
However, with the manipulating device 200 of such a structure, if the operator manipulates it in an unexpected manner or moves the operating portion 201 with an unexpected force, the housing 220 or operating portion 201 may be damaged around the dome portion 210. Normally, the operating portion 201 or the like is formed of a durable material in order to prevent such damage; nonetheless, there may be cases where the operating portion 201 would become slower to return to its predetermined position.
In order to solve such problems, a manipulating device 300 of structure shown in FIG. 5 is proposed, as disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Laid Open No. 6-38137 (38137/1994), Japanese Patent Laid Open No. 8-24439 (24439/1996), and Japanese Patent Laid Open No. 9-326219 (326219/1997).
The manipulating device 300 has an operating portion 301 placed on an elastic member 330 having an electrically conductive portion 331, and a stopper portion 340 is disposed in the center of the elastic member 330, so that there is a small gap between a tip of the stopper portion 340 and the operating portion 301. Thus, when the operating portion 301 is depressed, it tilts as if the bottom of the operating portion 301 slides on the stopper portion 340, so that its wear and damage may be restricted. Additionally, as a dent 310 is disposed in the bottom of the operating portion 301, the tip of the stopper portion 340 may snuggly fit into the dent 310 to make it less likely for the operating portion 301 to be misaligned, so that ease and feel of operation is enhanced for the operator.
More recently, a manipulating device that permits a character or characters on screen to be controlled in an analog fashion via an analog input from the operating portion 301 (see, for example, Japanese Patent Laid Open No. 7-10252 (10252/1995) and Japanese Patent Laid Open No. 90042-11 (90042/1999)) is also available. In addition, another manipulating controller is also proposed where a pressure-sensitive element is used in the electrode portion 333 of the manipulating device 300 of FIG. 5 to permit changes in the action and movement of the on-screen character(s) in response to the pressure applied to the operating portion 301.
However, even with the manipulating device 300 of the structure shown in FIG. 5, it seems likely that the operator may apply excessive pressure to the operating portion 301. In that case, the stopper portion 340 and/or operating portion 301 may be unavoidably worn away; additionally, if the pressure-sensitive element is used in the electrode portion 332, excessive depressive pressure applied to the pressure-sensitive element may cause the characteristic of the pressure-sensitive element to be changed, resulting in subsequent problems for use of the manipulating device 300.
As a gap is provided between the stopper portion 340 and operating portion 301, the operating portion 301 hits the stopper portion 340 when the operating portion 301 is depressed, so that its movement is temporarily slowed down. In that case, the manipulation feels stepwise, which may reduce the appeal of the analog input, especially when the pressure-sensitive element is used.
Thus, the present invention has its objective to provide a manipulating device for an entertainment system that overcomes the above problems, and an entertainment system that includes the same manipulating device.
A manipulating device of the present invention comprises: an operating member that can tilt in a certain direction when depressed by an operator; and a pivotally supporting member for supporting the operating member, said operating member and said pivotally supporting member contained in a housing. The pivotally supporting member is constructed so that, when said depressive pressure is released, it pushes up said operating member to restore it to its initial state.
The pivotally supporting member may be formed so that while the depressive pressure is applied to said operating member, a force opposing said depressive pressure is applied to said operating member.
Additionally, a dent into which an end of said supporting member is fitted may be disposed in said operating member to hold said operating member in a predetermined position.
The pivotally supporting member has its tip formed, for example, in convex curved shape, while said dent is formed in concave curved shape so as to mate the convex curved shape, and it is constructed so that as said dent slides on the tip of said supporting member, said operating member tilts over said pivotally supporting member in a predetermined direction. More specifically, said operating member has a depressing portion for applying said depressive pressure; an electrically conductive portion formed corresponding to the depressing portion and opposite to a surface to which the depressive pressure is applied; and an electrode portion for making said electrically conductive portion either conductive or nonconductive depending on the tilt when the operating member is tilted by the depressive pressure applied to the depressing portion. A pressure-sensitive element, for example, is used in the electrode portion. If a pair of depressing portions are provided, said dent is placed in the middle of this pair of depressing portions. Said electrically conductive portion is disposed on a movable contact member, which isolates, by an elastic force, the electrically conductive portion and electrode portion that oppose each other; when the movable contact member corresponding to said depressing portion is depressed by tilting of said operating member, the electrode portion disposed on that movable contact member becomes conductive.
It should be appreciated that in the above manipulating device, the pivotally supporting member has leg portions provided as a structure for effectively adding a restoring force to the pivotally supporting member. When depressing pressure is applied via said operating member, the leg portions open, while generating a resilient force that opposes said depressive pressure; when the depressive pressure is no longer applied, the restoring force that attempts to close the opened leg portions pushes up said operating member back to its initial position. If the pivotally supporting member is placed on a substrate, said leg portions are disposed so as to open in a groove provided in said substrate.